Literally

Meeting The Characters

Chekhov shows versus tells us what each character's role is in the play.

Below are the character's names, and a quotation which shows what kind of people they are.

Lopahin (a.k.a Yermolay Alexeyevitch): "I'm a rich man, but for all my money, come to think a peasant I was, and a peasant I am." (64) Lopahin seems to come from a poor background. Although he is currently rich, money hasn't changed his peasant ways.

Dunyasha: "You're a spoilt soft creature Dunyasha. And dressed like a lady too, and your hair done up. That's not the thing. One must know one's place." (64) We can infer Dunyasha has been a maid for many years. She may sometimes "forget what her place is," and make comments or actions a maid isn't supposed to have.

Lyubov Andreyevna (a.k.a Madame Ranevsky): In the past, when Lopahin had been hit by his father, Lyubov had helped him and said: "don't cry little peasant, it will be well in time for your birthday." (64) . She seems to be a kind, easy going woman. Later in the text, her brother mentions she "flings away her money." (p 77) From both quotations we can infer Lyubov likes helping others and believes everything will be solved in the future.

Epihodov: "Every day some misfortune befalls me. I don't complain. I'm used to it, and I wear a smiling face."(64) Ironically, as Epihodov says this, he complains. He doesn't seem to be the luckiest guy around.

Firs: "(sternly to Dunyasha) Girl! Where's the cream?" (69) Although he's a valet, he acts as if he was rich as he gives orders to the maid.

Anya: "I haven't slept all the journey, I was so anxious and worried!" (66) She worries more than her mother and acts like an adult.

Charlotta Ivanovna: "If I let you kiss my hand, you'll be wanting to kiss my elbow, and then my shoulder." (74) Very pre-cautious with men.

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Varya: "Just the same as ever, like a nun" (66) Her family pressures her to marry Lopahin. When her sister mentions it to her, she responds: "It's like a dream (in another tone) You have a new brooch like a bee." (68) As we can see, Varya didn't give much importance to the marriage topic. She seemed more interested in her sister's brooch.

Gaev (a.k.a Leonid Andreyevitch): "Everyone loves you and respects you... but, uncle dear, you must be silent... simply be silent." (78) Anya advices her uncle to be more prudent. Apparently, he talks too much about things that are better kept silent.

Semyonov-Pishtchik: "I never lose hope [...] something else will turn up again, if not today, tomorrow." (75) This landowner seems to be a very positive, hopeful man.

Other characters mentioned throughout the first Act:

Yasha: Lyubov's valet

Pyotr Seregeyevitch (a.k.a Petya): Grisha's tutor before he died. Lyubov mentions he grew old and ugly.

Gaevs aunt: Lady Catherine-like

Efimyushka, Polya, Yevstigney and Karp: old servants

Lyubov's husband died six years ago, and her seven year old son drowned a month later.

Things that must be mentioned:

Cherry blossoms as symbol: Regardless of the harsh climate, the cherry blossoms are still blooming. They were there in Lyubovs childhood. "Oh, my orchard! After the dark gloomy autum, and the cold winter; you are young again, and full of hapiness, the heavenly angels have never left you..." ( 75, 76) They symbolize hope. Although Lyubov's going through a hard time, the cherry orchard finds a way to "be young again, full of happiness".

The bookcase has a similar effect on Gaev as the cherry orchard does on his sister.

The cherry orchard must be sold to pay debts. The orchard has managed to create a great impact on the reader. Although we've just read one act, it makes me anxious to think they have to sell the cherry orchard.

Jim-like: Dunyasha cries because she broke a saucer. Vayra comforts her saying it brings good luck.

The characters are constantly asking for God and Jesus' help, but they don't seem to make the business their own. They just wait around for help that's probably not coming.

Appreciating African American Culture

The oldest records for human history are roughly five thousand years old. But in the ten years of social studies classes we take, we mostly see events that have occurred within a thousand years from today. Of course there are some events that weigh more than others. Historical events that have influenced the place where you live or that have occurred more recently are at the top of the priority list. Slavery is definitely one of those priority events. I can't think of a school year where we haven't discussed slavery, and there's only so much you can learn about one subject. But one subtopic I'll never get enough of is the influence African Americans had on American culture. I like this subject in particular because it's a form of hope. It demonstrates that something good can come out of something tragic.

I had to look at some videos on youtube before I understood what the blackface minstrelsy was about. I vaguely pictured white men making fun of black men's traditions and ways of being but I found something rather different. From my perspective, African American culture was being valued. The fact that white men took the time to learn African American songs and played them for entertainment shows interest on African American culture. Slaves were viewed as inferior human beings. Therefore, there culture and way of life was considered inferior too. But as I saw the youtube videos on black minstrelsy, I realized this wasn't the case. I think that when you consider something inferior, you feel ashamed of being a part of it. The popularity the minstrel shows gained demonstrates how willing Americans were in participating in African American culture. Whether the black minstrel shows valued or humiliated African Americans, they certainly gave importance to African American culture.

I'm With You, Dr. Chruchwell

If today a white person describes a black man as a "nigger", this term is considered pejorative and frowned upon. But if a black person says it to another black person, the degrading connotation is lost and "nigger" just becomes one more word in the slang dictionary.

The word "nigger" in Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is supported by such a rich historical background, that censoring it would be like ignoring reality. As Dr. Sarah Churchwell mentions, "Twain's books are not just literary documents but historical documents, and that word is totemic because it encodes all of the violence of slavery." The book isn't even racist. If anything, the novel criticizes slavery through Huck's moral transformation.

Dr. Gribben states that "modern-day readers" (nice generalization) are repulsed by such "abusive racial insults" and observes that such a repulsion has caused "important works of literature to fall of curriculum lists worldwide." What these "modern-day readers and teachers who refuse to teach TAHF don't understand is that YOU ARE NOT BEING RACIST BY READING THE WORD NIGGER. Twain isn't even a racist for writing it! As Dr. Sarah Churchwell replies, "The fault lies with the teaching, not the book." If you can teach the Bible as a work of literature and not a religious piece, then you can teach Twain's novel as a historical related fiction where the word "nigger" just adds credibility to the story.

Some people lack an open mind. As Churchwell states, "the whole point of literature is to expose us to different ideas and different eras, and they won't always be nice and benign."I think that people like Dr. Gibben just don't know how to respond to racism. They're so scared of being racists themselves that without realizing it, they already are. Why do some people feel confident in describing others as skinny, fat, pale or brunett but shudder so much before saying "that black man"? Racism is a virus that feeds on pain. Dr. Gibben argues the word "nigger" "appears to gain rather than lose its impact" and states this as a reason to omitting the word from Twain's novel. But the amount of fear and attention this word gets is precisely what makes it grow so much. As long as we make "nigger" such a big deal, racism will remain.

So congratulations Dr. Gibben. Instead of contributing towards equality, you've just made the word "nigger" more racist than what it already was. And while you're at it, you might as well censor my blog too.